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Sunday, November 29, 2015

Following Willie's Canine Habits Could Make You a More Effective Human

Like
many of us, I have always been a lover of dogs. My wife and kids tell me I
prefer hanging out with dogs more than people. It is hard for me to argue. Each
dog I have been close to has had a dominant personality trait that defined his
or her character. Peggy, the dog I grew up with, was loyal. My first dog as an
adult, Sandy, was a natural hunter, Charlie a cuddler, and Hank stubborn.

Two years ago this week, we lost
Willie. Willie was a miniature dachshund, 12 pounds soaking wet. However, he was
a “master of results.”

I didn’t just love Willie; I
admired him. I admired him because he taught me that I could be a more effective
human being by being more like him.

Here are Willie’s behaviors that
I found admirable:

Willie
was unequivocal on his goals in life. First was food, second comfort, and third
play. There was no fourth.

Willie
was focused. If he thought there was food to be eaten, he was laser focused on
getting it. It didn’t matter if it was a breadcrumb or juicy slice of beef. His
focus was complete. Needless to say, he oftentimes enjoyed food that was not
meant for him.

Willie
was an avid explorer. He saw the neighborhood as a potential smorgasbord of
worms, lizards, and other treats just lying on the ground.

Willie knew his priorities and was
single-minded in his pursuit of them. He was tireless in his quest for food.
Only when he concluded there was no possibility of getting food would he seek
comfort. He would play hard when he was well rested.

.Willie
was purposeful. Even when he played, he
was serious. Retrieving a toy seemed to be more about getting in shape for his
explorations than pure fun.

Willie
was fearless. He would take on much larger animals if he thought they
threatened his circumstances.

Although I miss Willie, I feel
good that he lived his life to its fullest. He knew what he wanted and never wavered
in his priorities. For example, when we lived in Ohio, Willie did not like the
cold weather – it made him uncomfortable. Consequently, he would sometimes take
care of business in the house. He didn’t care that he would be punished because
pleasing humans was not on his list of priorities. He knew the punishment of
being confined to his crate was a consequence of his actions and just accepted
it. He had no fear.

Imagine what more we could be
accomplishing in our lives if we had Willie’s (1) clarity and priority on
what’s important, (2) laser focus on achieving our goals, (3) courage to
explore, and (4) conviction. If Willie could have talked, I’m sure he would
have told us he lived the life he wanted to live and had no regrets.

If you have stories about your favorite pet that can teach us humans something please share!